Hand-propelled chair.



No. 692,036. Patented Jan. 28, I902.

N. A. SAWYER.

HAND PROPELLEDCHAIR.

(Application filedsept. 23, 1901.)

2 Sheats-PSheet I.

(No Mmhel.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NORTON ARTHUR SAWYER, OF LOWESTOFT,- ENGLAND.

HAND-PROPELLED CHAlR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 692,036, dated J'anuary28, 1902. Application filed September 23, 1901. Serial No. 76,190. (Nomodel.) i

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that'I, NORTON ARTHUR SAW- YER, a subject of the King ofEngland, residing at Lowestoft, England,- have invented a certain newand useful Hand-Propelled Chair, (for which I have made application forLetters Patentin. Great Britain under N0. 22,874,dated December 14,1900,) of which the following is a specification. v a

This invention relates to cycles, invalidchairs, and the like, and hasfor its object to construct a cycle adapted to be propelled byhand-power by persons unable to use their egs. i

According to this invention I construct a cycle having convenientlythree wheels, of which two are larger than theother. In the preferredform of construction the two larger wheels are carried inforks,whichform part of a framing supported at the rear by the smaller wheel,which is carried in a forkmounted in a head, so as to serve for steeringpurposes. Besides the three forks carrying the wheels the framecomprises two members which pass from the side forks backwardly to aspeciallyshaped frame composed of three preferably parallel membersdisposed moreor less vertically. The central member comprises thehead,'through which the steering-tube passes. The three members areconnected together by lengths of tube conveniently inclined from thelateral members to the middle one, which may be made shorter than theformer. The

lateral members of this rear portion of the frame are extendeddownwardly and forwardly, so as to serve as a support for a suitableseat, their extremities terminating in a foot-rest, the sides of whichare connected by tubes or rods to the lateral forks. are also connectedtogether by a horizontal tube, which may or may not be connected to thetubular members referred toabove, which support the seat and foot-rest.The lateral members of the rear frame may be extended upwardly andshaped so as to carry ahandle to enable the cycle to be pushed frombehind by a pedestrian. The steering is effected by a back piece mounted'adjustably upon the upper end of the steering-tube. The adjust- Theseforks ment of this back piece may be such as to enable it to bGiDOVGdforward or backward and upward or downward, so that the leverage may bevariedand the height of the back piece .fitted totheoccupant of thecycle.

crank-axle carries a toothed wheel, which is connected by a chain with apinion mounted upon the hub of each lateral wheel. The driving-wheelsmay be driven separately or connected together conveniently withdiifer-- ential gearing disposed in the connection. Preferably thewheels are independent, so that the steering may be assisted, or evenaltogether effected,by ceasing to propel one wheel and continuing todrive the other.

, In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of theframe of a cycle or invalid-chair constructed according to one method ofcarrying out this invention, and Fig. 2 is a; perspective view of aslightly-modified construction of chair. H

Like letters indicate like parts throughout the accompanying drawings.

The cycle or chair shown in the drawings is provided with three wheels,two large wheels being arranged one on either side of the machine andcarried in forks A and a small wheel at the rearof the machine,'carriedin a steering-fork B. The side forks A and steering-fork Bareconnectedto a central frame 0, comprising two upright members 0,connected by transverse members 0 to a third upright member C preferablyarranged parallelto the members 0. i The lower ends of the members 0 arecarried horizontally forward at C and downwardly extended at C to afootboard D. The footboard D may.

be secured in any convenient mannerto the downWardly-extendin g portions0 of the conator rests.

tral frame 0, but is preferably carried by a curved member 0 rigidlysecured to the ends of the portions C The forks A are each secured tothe central member 0 by a curved arm E, preferably connected at one endto the top of the fork and at the other end to one of the members 0 alittle below the upper members 0 The parts E thus form upwardly andoutwardly curved members or brackets from the central frame 0. The lowerends of the forks A are connected together by a brace E, which passes infront or behind the parts C of the central frame 0, to which it ispreferably secured. The'brace E is secured to the forks A above theaxles of the wheels; but, if pre ferred, it may be set in line with theaxles and the axles formed on or secured to its ends. The brace may bedetachably secured to the frame 0 or rigidly secured in front or behindthe members C as stated above, or made in several parts connected tocross-sockets let into the members C The footboard D is furthersupported by a crank and handle G G respectively, of any convenientconstruction. Each chain-wheel G is connected by a chain G tosprocketwheel G on each of the wheels carried in the forks, so that whenthe chain-wheels G are rotated by means of the handles G the wheels inthe forks A will be made to revolve and propel the chair. The sidewheels are preferably mounted independently, as shown in the drawings;butthey may, if desired, be mounted upon a revolving axle provided withdifferential gear. The brace E is fixed to the forks in the manner abovestated and may be secured to the members 0 or be curved from a centralpoint or from the members C A seat of any convenient kind may be securedto the horizontal part C of the central frame C-sucl1 as, for instance,a cushion H. (Shown in dotted. lines in Fig. 1.)

Steering is effected by means of a movable back J, against which theback of the oper- The back J is secured to a stem J of the steering-forkB, which is carried in bearings in the central upright member 0 of theframe 0. The back J is preferably connected to the stem J by anapproximately horizontal adjustable support J so that the forwardposition of the back may be adjusted, and means may also be provided foradjusting the height of the back.

In place of the cushion-seat H a wicker chair, such as that shown inFig. 2 of the drawings, may be mounted upon the frame 0, in which casethe back J operates through an orifice K in the back of the chair. Thefootboard in this case may be made in one with the chair, and the ties Fmay, if desired, be dispensed with.

A handle L'may conveniently be secured to the upper ends of the members0 of the frame 0, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the chair may be wheeledfrom behind, if desired.

WVhat-I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In a hand-propelled chair the combination of three upright membersarranged parallel to each other in an approximately vertical planecommon to all the members, cross members connecting the upright members,two approximately horizontal members extending from the lower ends ofthe two outside upright members, a seat upon these members,downwardly-directed extensions at the free ends of the horizontalmembers, a footboard secured to these extensions, upwardly and outwardlycurved members secured one to each of the outside upright members, awheel-support secured at the free end of each outwardly-curved member, aroadwheel mounted in each support, a brace connecting the lower ends ofthe two supports drivinggear mounted at the upper end of each supportand connected with the road-wheel of each support and a steering-wheelmounted at the opposite end of the chair to the sidewheel supports asset forth.

2. In a hand-propelled chair the combination of three upright membersarranged parallel to each other in an approximately vertical planecommon to all the members, cross members connecting the upright members,two approximately horizontal members extendingfrom the lower ends of thetwo outside upright members, a seat upon these members,

downwardly-directed extensions at the free ends of the horizontalmembers, a footboard secured to these extensions,upwardly and outwardlycurved memberssecured one to each of the outside upright members, aWheel-support secured at the free end of each outwardlycurved member,aroad-wheel mounted in each support, a brace connecting the lower ends ofthe two supports, and also connected to the downwardly-directedextensions of the hori zontal members, driving-gear mounted at the upperend of each support and connected with the road-wheel of each supportand a steeringwheel mounted at the opposite end of the chair to theside-wheel supports as set forth.

3. In a hand-propelled chair the combination of three upright membersarranged parallel to each other in an approximately ver tical planecommon to all the members, cross members connecting the upright members,two approximately horizontal members extending from the lower ends ofthe two outside upright members, a seat upon these members,downwardly-directed extensions at the free ends of the horizontalmembers, a footboard secured to these extensions,upwardly and out:wardly curved members secured one to each IIO of the outside uprightmembers, a wheel-support secured at the free end of each outwardly-.

curved member,a road-wheel mounted in each support, a brace connectingthe lower ends of the two supports, ties connecting the supports and thefootboard, driving-gear mounted at the upper end of each support andconnected with the road-Wheel of each support and a steering-Wheelmounted at the opposite end

